Why the heck do I drop everything ??

[imrachelk]

Just a quick question but since getting home from the hospital a week ago since I am 5 days post that horrible solumedrol 5 days infusion ... (that is just for information)..

but I drop EVERYTHING ... my arms are "tired" but no where even close to where my legs are ...

any insight?

[22cyclist]

Pretty common in MS exacerbations. Hopefully it will improve in the next couple of weeks as the steroids take effect. Just be careful what you pick up. What happens is the short signals of myelin in your arms do not maintain their "charge" when carrying things and your arms get weak, and boom you drop things. Its all about the wiring and the "short out" that comes from uncovered wires. Hopefully yours will recover, sometimes we do not.

My hope for you is that you get better soon. Sometimes it takes the steroids a couple of weeks to really take effect. Give them a chance and hang in there.

Take care
Lisa
Moderation Team

[journeyman]

MS is so very weird !

I too drop things and understand the "weak" signals. However I am, for the first time, am experiencing leg and hip spasticity. My leg muscles are so tight I have to do stretching exercises every day several times a day to keep them working. The spasm are exceedingly painful. FINALLY got a Neuro, appt. Tues of next week. They have seen evidence of a low back lesion due to other testing but have been unable to see it on MRI. Maybe now that it is hot and active they will be able to see it and medicate me for it.

My question to all of you is if my signals are weak to my arms why are they so over-done "tight" in my legs.

I have had every symptom in the books, I think, and now this. I have RRMS and the symptoms but this is new to me.

"Traditionally" my RRMS symptoms reach an intolerable point just before I go into remission so I guess that is something to hope for if there is any light at the end of the tunnel.

Dave, Tampa FL
"Journeyman"

MS Retired RN, too, for five years.
Two years of Rebif but now off for three. Lesions in brain greatly diminished but popping up in spine.

[mgoerke]

Dropping things is unfortunately normal. I had OT to rehab my hands, which are permanently impacted from my MS. I have learned that I actually need to pay attention when I am holding something. It helps if I look at my hands.

Use two hands whenever possible. Especially with a glass. A cold bottle like beer or a cold soda seem to cause my hands to "release" more easily so I use two hands to drink from those :-). Especially if its a second beer, lol!

You may not be able to multitask with your hands at this point. For instance my hands get confused of they are each holding an object and I need to put only one object down. Sometimes they both release and sometimes neither wants to give up their prize :-)

We have a lot of laughs about my hands as I have dropped almost all of our good glasses. We bought a bunch of Reidel wine glasses that are super sturdy for when we have company.

I always try to make lemonade from my lemons so here's my tip for you. When you are visiting family you no longer have to help set the table, serve or cleanup! Tell them they don't want you to touch their breakables, LOL!!,

[imrachelk]

Thank you ... OT is suppose to be here eventually but they have not called yet ... but it does make sense ... I drop everything .. just seems like my hands won't hold anything ...

As I look back I am way better then I was a month ago ... I was so sick a month a go that I could not do anything but lay there and cry ... so I am thinking the steroids even they NASTY are helping.